ill
become a balloon! Eet is a trick--eet is a leetle game--believe me. For
why?"

I had not listened, as I was at that moment astonished to see the saddle
slowly slide under Chu Chu's belly, and her figure resume, as if by
magic, its former slim proportions. Enriquez followed my eyes, lifted
his shoulders, shrugged them, and said smilingly, "Ah, you see!"

When the girths were drawn in again with an extra pull or two from the
indefatigable Enriquez, I fancied that Chu Chu nevertheless secretly
enjoyed it, as her sex is said to appreciate tight-lacing. She drew a
deep sigh, possibly of satisfaction, turned her neck, and apparently
tried to glance at her own figure--Enriquez promptly withdrawing to
enable her to do so easily. Then the dread moment arrived. Enriquez,
with his hand on her mane, suddenly paused and, with exaggerated
courtesy, lifted his hat and made an inviting gesture.

"You will honor me to precede."

I shook my head laughingly.

"I see," responded Enriquez gravely. "You have to attend the obsequies
of your aunt who is dead, at two of the clock. You have to meet your
broker who has bought you feefty share of the Comstock lode--at thees
moment--or you are loss! You are excuse! Attend! Gentlemen, make your
bets! The band has arrived to play! 'Ere we are!"

With a quick movement the alert young fellow had vaulted into the
saddle. But, to the astonishment of both of us, the mare remained
perfectly still. There was Enriquez bolt upright in the stirrups,
completely overshadowing by his saddle-flaps, leggings, and gigantic
spurs the fine proportions of Chu Chu, until she might have been a
placid Rosinante, bestridden by some youthful Quixote. She closed her
eyes, she was going to sleep! We were dreadfully disappointed. This
clearly would not do. Enriquez lifted the reins cautiously! Chu Chu
moved forward slowly--then stopped, apparently lost in reflection.

"Affront her on thees side."

I approached her gently. She shot suddenly into the air, coming down
again on perfectly stiff legs with a springless jolt. This she instantly
followed by a succession of other rocket-like propulsions, utterly
unlike a leap, all over the inclosure. The movements of the unfortunate
Enriquez were equally unlike any equitation I ever saw. He appeared
occasionally over Chu Chu's head, astride of her neck and tail, or in
the free air, but never IN the saddle. His rigid legs, however, never
lost the stirrups, but came down reg